Ahead of Poila Baisakh, festive shopping in stir throes
Times of India | 11 April 2025
12 Kolkata: Thursday was expected to be one of the busiest days for retailers ahead of Poila Boishakh, but it turned into a nightmare as twin rallies disrupted festive shopping across the city.
Several schools and offices were shut on Thursday owing to Mahavir Jayanti, and people planned outings later in the day. However, they were forced to cancel their plans as parts of CBD, College Street, Hatibagan, and Gariahat were inaccessible due to protests against the new Waqf law since early morning. Later in the day, rallies by SSC protesters kept shoppers indoors.
Shops and stalls at Gariahat, Hatibagan, New Market, and College Street wore a deserted look as processions and subsequent traffic diversions made it impossible for shoppers to reach marketplaces. The timing couldn't have been worse for traders who were already reeling from losses on Sunday when fear of disruptions during Ram Navami rallies kept people indoors.
"This year, the Chaitra sale missed one more day," rued Sumon Saha, joint secretary of Gariahat Indira Hawkers' Union. "On Sunday, people stayed away as they were scared of trouble during Ram Navami celebrations. An entire day's business, that too on a Sunday, was totally lost. Today's protests dealt another blow. Losing two days in this crucial shopping season is a big financial hit."
A rally by teachers in Gariahat partially hit shopping activities. Many people from different parts of the city could not reach Gariahat due to protests and traffic diversions in different pockets. Many traders echoed similar concerns, drawing parallels with last year's Durga Puja season disruptions due to the RG Kar rape-murder protests. "But we got some time to recover and recoup our losses during puja. This time, Poila Baishakh is almost here," said Suranjan Palit, a sari shop owner in Gariahat.
"Online shopping already ate into our profits. Now, these protests are adding to our woes," said Shibu Roy, a garments shop owner in Hatibagan. Street vendors and hawkers across the city faced similar struggles. "It's already 5 pm and I haven't sold a single item," said Naushad Ali at Bertram Street.
The ripple effect was felt across sectors — from clothing and jewellery to household items and accessories. "We stocked up expecting good sales for Poila Baisakh," said Anirban Ghosh, a shop owner on College Street. "Instead, we spent the day watching empty streets. It's devastating."
Mun Mun Talukdar, a resident of Tollygunge who is a regular visitor to Gariahat during the Chaitra sale, could not shop last Sunday and Thursday. "I have also lost two days of shopping. Sunday was a holiday, but I chose not to go to Gariahat. Today traffic was badly hit, so I did not go out."
Kolkata: Thursday was expected to be one of the busiest days for retailers ahead of Poila Boishakh, but it turned into a nightmare as twin rallies disrupted festive shopping across the city.
Several schools and offices were shut on Thursday owing to Mahavir Jayanti, and people planned outings later in the day. However, they were forced to cancel their plans as parts of CBD, College Street, Hatibagan, and Gariahat were inaccessible due to protests against the new Waqf law since early morning. Later in the day, rallies by SSC protesters kept shoppers indoors.
Shops and stalls at Gariahat, Hatibagan, New Market, and College Street wore a deserted look as processions and subsequent traffic diversions made it impossible for shoppers to reach marketplaces. The timing couldn't have been worse for traders who were already reeling from losses on Sunday when fear of disruptions during Ram Navami rallies kept people indoors.
"This year, the Chaitra sale missed one more day," rued Sumon Saha, joint secretary of Gariahat Indira Hawkers' Union. "On Sunday, people stayed away as they were scared of trouble during Ram Navami celebrations. An entire day's business, that too on a Sunday, was totally lost. Today's protests dealt another blow. Losing two days in this crucial shopping season is a big financial hit."
A rally by teachers in Gariahat partially hit shopping activities. Many people from different parts of the city could not reach Gariahat due to protests and traffic diversions in different pockets. Many traders echoed similar concerns, drawing parallels with last year's Durga Puja season disruptions due to the RG Kar rape-murder protests. "But we got some time to recover and recoup our losses during puja. This time, Poila Baishakh is almost here," said Suranjan Palit, a sari shop owner in Gariahat.
"Online shopping already ate into our profits. Now, these protests are adding to our woes," said Shibu Roy, a garments shop owner in Hatibagan. Street vendors and hawkers across the city faced similar struggles. "It's already 5 pm and I haven't sold a single item," said Naushad Ali at Bertram Street.
The ripple effect was felt across sectors — from clothing and jewellery to household items and accessories. "We stocked up expecting good sales for Poila Baisakh," said Anirban Ghosh, a shop owner on College Street. "Instead, we spent the day watching empty streets. It's devastating."
Mun Mun Talukdar, a resident of Tollygunge who is a regular visitor to Gariahat during the Chaitra sale, could not shop last Sunday and Thursday. "I have also lost two days of shopping. Sunday was a holiday, but I chose not to go to Gariahat. Today traffic was badly hit, so I did not go out."